Headstand workshop with David Atkinson

Developing and practicing safe headstands

Headstands bring many benefits, are invigorating and fun to reverse our normal view of life, the workshop is open to those wishing to work towards headstand and also those who are already able to do the posture as variations will be given.

The focus of the workshop is to work towards them in a safe and mindful way. The first half of the session will primarily work on the preparation of the various areas of the body which need strengthening and opening which contribute towards getting into a headstand in a safe and steady way, this routine will be a practice in itself. We’ll also look at the benefits and techniques for holding the posture for longer periods of time and for anyone who wishes to we’ll have a introductory look at forearm balance and handstand.

In the Hatha Yoga tradition, inversions before they were known as an ‘Asana’ were referred to as Vipareeta Karani Mudra – ‘the reversing attitude’.

From the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, chp 3 verse 79: ‘With the navel region above and the palate below, the sun is above and the moon below. It is called Vipareeta Karani, the reversing process’.

What did they mean by this and what were they trying to reverse? We’ll also delve into the eastern view of inversions v’s western view.

**Previous experience is required for this workshop, not for beginners**

When, where & how much?

NEW DATE Saturday 15th September

10:30am-1:30pm

Blooming Bamboo, Seaham

£25

About David

David first became interested in Yoga nearly 20 years ago when he was introduced to Transcendental meditation by local teacher Chris Greathead and shortly after started practicing Iyengar Yoga for a few months before connecting with a Buddhist Yogi Sudaka who was teaching Ashtanga vinyasa Yoga. David did his first teacher training in 2004 with Brian Cooper and taught Ashtanga in Newcastle for nearly 10 years and has taken additional workshop training with many teachers including Srivatsa Ramaswami, Matthew Sweeney, Danny Paradise, David Williams, Nancy Gilgoff, Donna Farhi, Paul Grilley, Christopher Gladwell & Godfrey Devereux to help gain insight into the various approaches to Yoga so that this can then be related to students in a supportive way that suits the needs of the individual.

In 2011 David traveled for a year around India and Asia and studying at the Krishnamacharya Healing Foundation, completed an additional teacher training at the Patanjali International Yoga Foundation in Rishikesh studying traditional Hatha Yoga practices under the guidance of Dr Jitendara Das and is also a practitioner of Traditional Thai massage. David teaches in Newcastle and runs workshops and hosting visiting teachers.